Choice: A Right We Need to Protect
This week marks the 35th anniversary of the Supreme Court’s land mark decision Roe v. Wade, which protects our most private medical decisions from interference by government and politicians. While there are many things for us to celebrate today, we must also be aware that legal and legislative battles over reproductive freedom are still being waged.
Congressman Reichert is a staunch anti-choice Republican who has said publicly that pharmacists should be allowed to deny women access to birth control. Reichert’s views are out of step with both the mainstream medical community and the residents of Washington’s 8th Congressional District.
As you are undoubtedly aware, the federal district court here in Washington recently issued an injunction prohibiting the enforcement of Pharmacy Board rules which would require pharmacies to fill legal prescriptions. This is a direct assault on reproductive freedom: pharmacists are now refusing to fulfill prescriptions for birth control, Plan B, and even antibiotics if they come from clinics that also perform abortions.
Here’s the problem: we could win this court appeal and ultimately lose the battle if we continue to elect anti-choice members of Congress. There are currently 216 members of the United States House of Representatives that are identified as anti-choice and 52 members that are identified as “mixed choice.”
We are only two representatives away from an anti-choice MAJORITY in the House.
